The modern head of tax: navigating the first year

Alyson emphasized the importance of remaining grounded, empowering others and making fast, practical decisions amid ambiguity. Her discussion with the cohort surfaced three themes that matter for any tax leader facing accelerated change:

1. Broader is better: shifting from expert to enterprise operator
2. Empowerment over execution: building trust, accountability and high-functioning teams
3. Communicating at the speed of the business: influencing CFOs, peers and the C-suite

Broader is better: the leadership shift from expert to enterprise operator

For many new heads of tax, the transition into the role comes with an immediate reckoning: deep technical expertise is no longer enough. Leaders described inheriting complex tax “plumbing” they had not previously owned — spanning legal, accounting, treasury, finance, technology, compliance and broader enterprise strategy. What quickly became clear is that modern tax leadership requires following the flow of value and risk across the organization, not just mastering discrete technical tax issues.

This expansion in scope can feel daunting, particularly for leaders stepping into business environments shaped by transactions, separations or operational transformations. Yet the discussion reinforced that this challenge is not something to avoid, but an opportunity to intentionally build. Developing enterprise judgment — understanding how decisions ripple across functions and influence CFO and C-suite priorities — is what ultimately sustains influence in the role. As Alyson emphasized, leaders who lack this exposure can accelerate their learning by surrounding themselves with strong deputies, listening deeply and intentionally broadening their aperture beyond tax.

Empowerment over execution: building trust, accountability and high-functioning teams

As the scope of the role expands, new tax leaders are also confronting a second reality: they cannot and should not do everything themselves. Succession planning, talent development and team scalability featured prominently in the discussion, with leaders asking how to build durable organizations while navigating constant change.

Participants pointed to the growing importance of developing talent internally through intentional stretch roles, rotations across tax, treasury and planning functions, and early leadership exposure for managers and below. The ability to “lift and shift” talent thoughtfully — aligning skills, interests and enterprise needs — is increasingly viewed as a core leadership responsibility, not a secondary one.

Alyson’s experience reinforced that empowerment is not about stepping back indiscriminately, but about creating clarity around ownership, decision-making and accountability. By giving teams real responsibility, timely feedback and visibility with senior stakeholders, leaders strengthen confidence and resilience — particularly during periods of separation, restructuring or cultural change.